Ethnocentrism: Language Barriers in College

-..

HOW MUCH ETHNOCENTRISM EXISTS IN THE COLLEGE CLASSROOMS AND WHAT EFFECT DOES ETHNOCENTRISM HAVE ON LANGUAGE BARRIERS?

By Eric C. Talaska

A PROSPECTUS

Communication Dr. Mollie Condra

USING ETHNOMETHODOLOGY

University of Arkansas December 7, 1993

INTRODUCTION

Because

of the impracticality

of the world adapting

of all or most countries

a univer~a.g.e-

oystem::-in ~~

the near future,

language

barriers

and ethnocen~m

~

-I-w-o

<"-

will continue

to cause problems

well as outside

the classroom.

on ethnocentrism

and language

classrooms students

in the classroom

rt1)b~

This study will focus barriers

in order to understand

and thus allow further

corne up with solutions

~

as

~

in college

the attitudes

research

~.,h.+-

of the

~~ be-

VO~ ~ ~U_

into ways to

to the problems.

REVIEW OF LITERATURE ~

Not-v~

studies have ~ee~

ethnocentrism

""'~ "Ee-"-m because

~

S ('~

as a cause of language

of ethnocentrism

economy

this proposal

following

perhaps

all, most

a culture

unlike

lives.

arising

their

of increases /L..

~

,

Some good reasons with ethnocentrism ~so

dOing_!e

in this multilingual

should have many similar

it because

everybody's

I '"

about

- own unless it is relevant to their personal lives.

world,

(l

barriers,

its~After

reluctant-~:tudY

With a global

~~-\..n.v\.J.

reported

to review literature

can accomplish

know ledqe of ourselves

~

unconscious

in relevance

to

bo ~

and language

, .:J-

studies

barriers

two things:

by revealing

that deal

is because

(a) Broaden

some of our own

~~~

heretofore

communicative

acts;

almost insurmountable

understanding

by

(

(b) clear away obstacles

in the cross-cultural

process

to (Shrope,

'Z)_b ~..v ~

Cc:.v:f-

~

+4-t-

2

1974) .

The relationship communication

patterns

of social structure

and

suggests

for a

typology

of speech communities

analysis

and display

which might allow

of patterns

level, and thus contribute communication

the similar

interaction

among the students.

compared

students

of natural

and beliefs

analysis

languages

capability

been concerned of members'

of the lexicon and

"tacit resources"

interaction

which

specifies I

Co.u.Âťe-ii.--Grant RR r49o/1

have

or background

of orderly

of a communicative

the role of such tacit

1979). ~That

(BriWsh)

of

for some time with the

and with the description

(Psa thas

of our

Ethnomethodologists

for the production

by _!Jleaward-O-t

in

as

but also our knowledge

"machinery"

resources

that we employ

and comprehension

about the world.

understandings"

to study

due to consistency

not only our knowledge

our syntactical

that as

in the study of the

for the production

utterances

I interpret

interact.

It is a commonplace

resources

in

the types of

can be less confusing

the way students

similarly

reduces

to the average person

pragmatics

Accor'

levels of experience

college

students

theory of

1982).

traditional

meaning

at a more

to general

(Saville-Troike,

Saville-Troike,

dimensions

data

'ao

T..

mad,. pOliS ibl

Soaial Science Research

--..

(Community

Reactions

to

e

3

Deviance") relates

and is helpful

in understanding

to ethnomethodology.

RESEARCH

PROBLEM

The question

of how much ethnocentrism

its effect on language

barriers

classrooms

is very important

prospectus

followed

Many problems language

in college

by a study for several

among

exist. -Begeral

exampTeÂŁ

language

(ESL).

difficulties

cannot be understood

instructors

and

level

and

are applicable

well.

that have English

ESL students

reasons.

where ethnocentrism

One example would be especially

if the instructor

exists

to examine via a

arise in classes

barriers

~s1DI~

typical

how language

That is as

also often have

in communicating

with other students

faculty.

One or more theories ethnocentrism,

need to be made about how

the emotional

ethnic group, nation,

culture,

superior

to all others,

barriers

in a multilingual

class.

are ethnocentric,

effectively

and efficiently

How much ethnocentrism

barriers.

to effectively Ethnocentrism

proposed

is

communication

If students

a motive

and or

to communicate

may be severely

blocked.

exists needs to be

conclude

its impact on language

should be weighed ;;~

other causes of language

that one's own

(and language)

may facilitate

instructors

measured

attitude

barriers.

study can this weighing

C\oO

against .......

Only after the

take place accurately.

-~

4 METHOD /

.__----.:?

PROCEDURE

~t~

~k-

0\"".1'

ObViOUSly,~methodOIOgy in a prospectus proportion

involving

ethnocentrism

inferences

the social context

methodical

are heavily

of community

social organization

influenced

members

attention

attitudes

they display. and faculty.

where

ESL members and

of ethnocentrism.

because

they heavily

of this research

of Arkansas

descriptions

barriers

influence

about the levels of ethnocentrism

All members

occur naturally

as a

language

refer to students,

Objective

Specifically,

college

"Members"

from the University

language

social

of this study are to get as much

as ESL members

ESL members'

in the

of cUltural~

by their native

thus are prone to some degree Non-ESL

interested

This method correlates

unique community

in

and communicative

as the encoder

and reflections

organizations.

of communication

research.

are primarily

use of language

beliefs

and

is the aim of this ethnographic

Ethnogrophers ritual

patterns

will

for reasons

Description

of enthnocentrism

barriers

communication

more emphasis

method.

about student's

to use

in a large

rather than arguing

why it is the appropriate

language

is appropriate

of the study; therefore

be placed on the method

pIO

are to be

at Fayetteville.

of ethnocentrism

will be measured

in the university

the fieldwork

instructors,

and

in the field as (an institution).

will be limited to

~~ P \ _y~rs~F~ if ~

5 classrooms.

V'

The classrooms will have at least on~ so selectivity

is already

in effect.

members

are needed to study language

because

ethnocentrism

reliable

members

an emic

(internal

(external

interview)

observational)

sophisticated

entry"

is easy for myself,

approach

and

Testimony

the primary

while an etic

will be the most research

method.

researcher.

setting

A friend

to be a secondary

He will use the same method

data will be combined

from

will be included via

into the social classroom

of mine from India is willing researcher.

barriers

approach

and time consuming

"Gaining

One or more ESL

should be higher.

of the classrooms

member,

I will and his

with mine to aviod a sujective

and biased theory.

No theory will be reached what previous

inquiries

until findings

already have revealed

thereafter

data will no longer be gathered.

a grounded

theory will be sought,

that emerges without

from data.

a theory

manner.

contradictions

in a rather creative

in the data.

conclusions,

researcher's

knowledge.

~dl

and free

to encapsulate

have learned to identify

arise, they can be resolved tentative

In essence,

that is, a theory

will be written

what both researchers

and

That data will be collected

in mind

A memoranda

repeat

If any contradictions via furthur

and spotting

inquiries,

gaps in the

I?

._ 6

Observation

research

data gathering

This "realism" university

physics

will be a regular class of which physics

class

approach

class of which my research student

is expected

taught by an instructor The researchers

in a

partner

algebra ~

The

to be taught be a professor class

is expected

to be

from the Pacific Rim.

will be covert and complete

observers

should arise unless Permission

of and a college

I will be a regular student

from India and the algebra

participant

will be conducted

by nature.

No ethical

concerns

names are used in the final report.

may be sought to publish

names,

if needed.

Most people have no access to research

in a college

classroom.

and ethically

research

Only students

without

What

being under suspicion

into categories

how ethnocentrism

observation,

observation

is communicated.

barriers

and finally a selective

Careful

how students instructors.

correct.

should be easier to collect

data about than ethnocentrism sense.

Care

observation,

in order to be ethnographically

Language

and

to infer patterns

be taken to start with a descriptive a focused

of doing so.

is said and done will be recorded

later divided regarding

can covertly

interpretations

in the observational need to be made about

interact with each other and their Reliability

direct participation

is facilitated

of the researchers.

because

of the

7

Interview

research

method

The questions

of "how ethnocentric

consider

yourself

barriers

do you encounter

particularly students

to be and why?" and "What language at the university,

in the classroom?"

in the classrooms

researchers

will briefly

researching

ethnocentrism

goal is to discover the research

in an informal manner.

say they are working and language

to be key informants

to network

in duplicating

university

will be considered language

similar

focus on interviewing interviewing

on The

think and feel about will be

and will be encouraged

the interview

process.

The

to be the "grass hut":

barriers

is greater

to themselves,

The

barriers.

All classmates

considered

Since rapport

will be asked to most

what students

questions.

the place where

do you

affect academics.

among people who are

the researcher ESL students

from India will

and I will focus on

native

English

students.

should be carefully

planned

to avoid an ethnocentric

or biased employ

appearance.

Trust

in order to receive

The wording

is a key concept

accurate

~

to

responses.

CONCLUSION Ethnographic the student's naturalistic

observations

patterns

will be used to study

of communication

setting while ethnographic

be used to study the student's interpretations

personal

of their communication

bahavior

in a

interviews reports behaviors

and in

will

dl-

!

8

the college

classrooms.

Research is becoming increase

in ethnocentrism

more important

in international

enrollments.

and language

than ever before business

This investigation

in the classroom

can give us key information

limitations

and implications

problems

processes

related.

due to the

and ESL student

environment

communicative

barriers

involved

about the

in such

and lead us to solutions

to the

..

_

REFERENCES G. (1979). Everyday

Psathas,

language:

ethnornethodology. New York.. Irv1ngton ' S

Studies

in

Publish er s .

'1

M. (1982) . Th e ethnography

aV1 le-Troike,

of

communi t' 1n. Bas1l ~==~~c~a~1~o~n.

Great Brita'路 ' Blackwell

Sh

rope, W.A.

L

td.

(1974). ~~~~~~~i~n~c~o~m~rn~u~n~i~c~a~tli~o~n.

Experiences

New York/Chica go Is. an Francisco/Atlanta.' Harcourt Brace Jovanovich , Inco

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